Olympiacos needed to bounce back after a home loss to Fenerbahçe and did so in an uncomfortable setting with a depleted roster. Without Nikola Milutinov, Evan Fournier, or Jean Montero, Georgios Bartzokas' team won in Istanbul thanks to their ball movement, recording 26 assists, and a much stronger finish than their opponents.
A 15-0 Run to Start
Besiktas started better (6-0), but Olympiacos responded with a 0-15 run, led by Vezenkov, and by the 5-minute mark they were up nine. The Turks, with many turnovers in that stretch, gradually cut it close to finish the first quarter down two (23-25) thanks to a three-pointer by DeJulius at the buzzer.
The second quarter started with a three-pointer by Shane Larkin Wilbekin that tied the game, and Besiktas took a brief lead (28-27). Olympiacos pressed again late in the period and went into halftime up six (36-42).
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Besiktas Takes the Lead, Olympiacos Decides
After halftime, the Greeks got up by eleven (39-50, 24th minute), but Besiktas stayed in it. Morgan led the comeback and a free throw by Omoruyi with one second left in the third quarter kept the game close (58-61).
The fourth quarter started with the Turks within one on two occasions, and at the 34-minute mark a basket by Nowell gave them the lead (68-66). It was their last good moment. Two consecutive turnovers at the 35-minute mark allowed Olympiacos to regain control, and they didn't let go from there: a 5-15 run in the final six minutes sealed the game.
Vezenkov was Olympiacos' leading scorer with 16 points, ahead of Jones (15), Hall (14), and Ward (13). For Besiktas, who played with seven or eight players due to injuries and fouls, Nowell scored 15. The Turks fall to 3-5.
- Quarters: 23-25, 13-17, 22-19, 15-20
- Halftime: 36-42
- Arena: Turkcell Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi, Istanbul
- Referees: Saša Pukl, Robert Lottermoser, and Igor Dragojević
- Record: Olympiacos 6-2, Besiktas 3-5
Besiktas (Dušan Alimpijević): Nowell 15, DeJulius 12, Morgan 11, Metecan Birsen 10, Brown 9, Omoruyi 7, Wilbekin 5, Gabriel 4, Berk Uğurlu 0, Zizić 0.
Olympiacos (Georgios Bartzokas): Vezenkov 16, Jones 15, Hall 14, Ward 13, Miller-McIntyre 9, Ndiaye 7, Joseph 4, Papanikolaou 3, Netzipoglou 0, Plotas 0.